The present invention relates to a flexible spiked arrangement that is adapted to be placed onto footwear.
Such flexible spiked arrangements are very desirable for placing on footwear, such as shoes, especially running shoes, hiking boots, steel-toed boots, such as working boots, etc., especially when it is desired to provide increased traction for the footwear in snowy, icy, muddy, and similar conditions.
Devices to provide improved traction have been suggested in the past. For example, Bell et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,277, provides an ice-gripping sandal that can be strapped onto a boot. Another strap-on sandal is proposed in Bell et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,823, and in Bell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,789. A cleated outer sole that can be strapped on is disclosed in Hansen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,429. McNeil et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,939, also proposes a spiked attachment for a boot, shoe or the like. A lace-on attachment is disclosed in Koch, U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,617. Two lace-on auxiliary soles are proposed in two patents to Smith, namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,726,461 and 3,019,533.
All of these heretofore known attachments have various drawbacks, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved and unique flexible spiked arrangement that can be placed onto footwear, and that in particular is easy to put on and take off, is not complicated, and at the same time provides very effective traction.